Ingestion

Ingestion is the consumption of a substance by an <a href="/facts/Organism/j8JkL09u">organism</a>. In <a href="/facts/Animal/4b8J33nd">animals</a>, it normally is accomplished by taking in a substance through the <a href="/facts/Mouth/WthDlXsC">mouth</a> into the <a href="/facts/Gastrointestinal_tract/nK2zwqBS">gastrointestinal tract</a>, such as through <a href="/facts/Eating/Vtf2gffc">eating</a> or <a href="/facts/Drinking/0z0lG5FW">drinking</a>. In <a href="/facts/Single-celled_organism/9PQsRuHU">single-celled organisms</a>, ingestion takes place by absorbing a substance through the <a href="/facts/Cell_membrane/vAXSD0DT">cell membrane</a>.
Besides <a href="/facts/Nutrition/SMJ3Dhfs">nutritional</a> items, substances that may be ingested include <a href="/facts/Medication/h9mhwWP2">medication</a> (where ingestion is termed <a href="/facts/Oral_administration/vNQcvLVx">oral administration</a>), <a href="/facts/Recreational_drug_use/eoBD3vKn">recreational drugs</a>, and substances considered inedible, such as <a href="/facts/Foreign_body/T1u8fIwH">foreign bodies</a> or <a href="/facts/Excretion/mspsTfnv">excrement</a>. Ingestion is a common route taken by <a href="/facts/Pathogen/axMXtV1M">pathogenic</a> <a href="/facts/Organism/j8JkL09u">organisms</a> and <a href="/facts/Poison/XIQjhpsw">poisons</a> entering the body.
Ingestion can also refer to a mechanism picking up something and making it enter an internal hollow of that mechanism, e.g. "a <a href="/facts/Grille_(architecture)/pec3bxNp">grille</a> was fitted to prevent the pump from ingesting <a href="/facts/Driftwood/h63a4NrX">driftwood</a>".

Ingestion open-in-new

Ingestion